Date:  Friday, January 15, 2010

Contact: Marta Coursey, Communications Director 206-515-3918

SEATTLE – Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division (WSF) announces the vessel classification name of its new 64-car ferries: the Kwa-di Tabil Class. Kwa-di Tabil, (pronounced kwah DEE tah-bale) means “little boat” in the Quileute language.

WSF conducted a contest to name the new vessel classification with fourth-grade students from Chimacum, Port Townsend and Whidbey Island, who are studying Washington state history. Guidelines for contest entries included that the name be unique to Washington state, representative of the local community, have symbolic maritime meaning and be reflective of nature. The winning entry was submitted by a fourth-grade class at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend.

Many of the fourth-grade classes used this contest as an opportunity to study Northwest Native America history and Puget Sound maritime traditions.

“It’s exciting news for our state’s ferry commuters to know that new boats are on the way, and it’s wonderful that the new class will bear a name with such rich history and meaning here in the Northwest,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said. “Congratulations to the students at Blue Heron Middle School for their great suggestion and my compliments to all the students who submitted a name.”

A panel of five local and state officials selected the winning entry. The panel included Governor Gregoire’s husband Mike Gregoire, WSDOT Chief of Staff Steve Reinmuth, Coupeville Mayor Nancy Conard, Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval and WSF Port Captain Bill Michael. Governor Gregoire will visit the school this spring to present a plaque commemorating the selection.

WSF’s vessels are categorized into different classifications or vessel classes. For example, the three largest ferries (Puyallup, Tacoma and Wenatchee) compose the Jumbo Mark II Vessel Class. WSF is building three, and possibly a fourth, new 64-car, or Kwa-di Tabil Class ferries, which will be in service first on the Port Townsend/Keystone route.

The first of the Kwa-di Tabil Class ferries, the Chetzemoka, is scheduled to begin service on the Port Townsend/Keystone route in late summer 2010. WSF awarded a contract in October 2009 to build the second and third Kwa-dee Tabil Class ferries, which will begin service in 2011 and 2012.

For more information, please visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries.

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